Harapan's women leaders condemn MACC's 'witness intimidation'

Leaders of Pakatan Harapan's women wings have jointly condemned the alleged intimidation of Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's witness, Siti Nurul Hidayah (above), who is an aide to Muar MP Syed Saddiq Syed Abdul Rahman.

The three leaders - PKR's Rodziah Ismail, DAP's Chong Eng and Amanah's Aiman Athirah Sabu - in a statement today called on MACC chief commissioner Azam Baki to probe the alleged torture of witnesses and suspects brought in to its premises for questioning.

"There is no place for thuggish behaviour within such a powerful agency like the MACC and the prime minister must step in to stop the culture of bullying and terrorising suspects and witnesses.

"Remember, the MACC has plenty of skeletons in its cupboards too," said the leaders, who also alluded to the death of MACC witness and political aide Teoh Beng Hock, more than a decade ago.

They further noted that formal recommendations have been made, since 2005, for the police to set-up designated interrogation rooms in their premises, with video surveillance installed.

"Interviews with suspects and witnesses must only be undertaken in such rooms.

"If such practices were comprehensively adopted, with respect to all law enforcement agencies, including the MACC, perhaps the deaths of Teoh Beng Hock and Ahmad Sarbani at the MACC premises could have been avoided," Rodziah (above), Chong Eng and Aiman said.

"We stand in solidarity with Nurul Hidayah and her colleagues and all those who have been victims of torture, threats and scare tactics by the MACC and call for a full investigation," they further said.

Nurul Hidayah's handphone confiscated, thrown at her

Yesterday, Nurul Hidayah alleged that she had been unfairly treated while being questioned by MACC officers on three separate occasions since April.

Among others, Nurul Hidayah in her police report against MACC claimed that the officers in charge had confiscated her mobile phone, thrown the phone at her, used curse words against her, threatened to slap her, kicked her chair and switched off the lights during these questioning sessions.

Similarly, Bersatu Youth member Adam Mukhriz Mohd Muhayeddin also claimed that he and another party member had been interrogated in isolation by the MACC until the wee hours of the morning yesterday.

The duo had made the claims at a press conference in Putrajaya yesterday, following former prime minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad's press conference, at which he claimed that Perikatan Nasional was using enforcement agencies like the MACC to pressure the Opposition, and threatened to expose "government wrongdoings" if this persisted.

The anti-graft agency has previously declared that there was "no political motive" in its detention of a Bersatu Youth member as part of its investigation into money missing from Syed Saddiq’s home. - Mkini